Park Place (Norfolk)

Park Place Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Virginia Landmarks Register
Location	Roughly bounded by Hampton Blvd., 23rd St., Granby St. and 38th St., Norfolk, Virginia
Coordinates
Area	347 acres (140 ha)
Built	1884
Architect	Ferebee, A.O.; Hebard, Vance, et al.
Architectural style	Queen Anne, Shingle Style, et al.
NRHP Reference #	06000029
VLR #	122-5087
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 10, 2006
Designated VLR	December 7, 2005

Park Place is a neighborhood in the western half of Norfolk, Virginia. Its boundaries are roughly Church Street on the east, Hampton Boulevard on the west, the railroad tracks immediately south of 23rd Street on the south and up to (and including the southern half of) 38th Street to the north. Officially this area includes other more localized designations such as Kensington, but in practice the area is simply referred to as Park Place.

The Park Place Historic District is a national historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It encompasses 1,525 contributing buildings, 2 contributing sites, and 5 contributing structures in the Park Place neighborhood of Norfolk. It is an example of streetcar suburban development in Norfolk during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The neighborhood includes a variety of commercial, residential, industrial, and institutional buildings in a variety of popular styles including the Queen Anne and Shingle Style. Notable buildings include Batchelder and Collins (1904), J. W. Gamage and Son (1910), National Linen Service (1941), Best Repair Company (1938), Rosna Theater (1942), Newport Plaza and Theater (1930), Park Place Baptist Church (1903), Church of the Ascension (1915), Christian Temple (1922), Park Place Methodist Church (1949), Knox Presbyterian Church (1940), the Touraine (1915), Colonial Hall Apartments (1925), and Camellia Court (1914).

Park Place is a diverse socio-economic neighborhood that lies directly north of the Ghent district and directly south of Colonial Place. Park Place is one of Norfolk's oldest neighborhoods and the architecture of the homes reflects this. In recent years, residents have worked together to implement a plan of neighbors helping neighbors. A brand new YMCA, state of the art early childhood education school, and redevelopment in the 35th business district are just some of the great things that have added value to the neighborhood. Park Place is adjacent to the Virginia Zoo, Lafayette Park and unique restaurants that have been rated some of the best in the city. Park Place is traversed by many of Norfolk's largest thoroughfares and is close to the arts, downtown, universities and the Naval base.

Park Place is also home to "Green Housing", the net-zero project designed to build sustainable living housing (i.e., housing that does not use energy from outside sources). Students from Hampton University are part of a team competing in the 2011 Solar Decathlon that is building a six-unit solar-powered residential building in Park Place. Additionally, Green Build It constructed one of Hampton Roads' only LEED certified residences in Park Place.

External links

• Team Tidewater Virginia Solar Decathlon 2011